1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to roof rack mounting and carrier systems and more particularly to a conduit carrier system that can be slidably mounted to a TracVan brand ladder rack or bolted onto other conventional rack systems, which are used commonly in the construction trades.
2. Background of the Related Art
In the construction trades it is common to use a section of large pipe as a storage vessel or container for other smaller pipe used at construction sites.
Typically the pipe used is PVC pipe of four or six inches in diameter. The use of a pipe as a storage container has the advantages of protecting the work materials from damage and also preventing materials from being lost.
The storage pipe is typically transported by a vehicle such as a van or a pickup truck. Tradesmen have transported the storage pipe within the vehicle itself. However, if not properly restrained, the storage pipe can roll around and possibly cause damage to vehicle and its contents or even injure the occupants. Tradesmen have also jury-rigged the storage pipe to ladder racks or other external racks using bungee cords, elastic stays and other strapping arrangements and tie-downs. However, without proper fitting restraints, it is possible for the storage pipe to become loose. If the storage pipe is lost while the vehicle is in motion, the results can be catastrophic.
To solve this problem, tradesmen have bolted the storage pipe directly to the vehicle or the vehicle's ladder racks. However, bolting the storage pipe requires that holes be drilled through the ladder racks or the body of the vehicle. This solution necessarily causes damage to the vehicle and/or the rack and the resulting structure is in a fixed location and is not adjustable.
One ladder rack system that is popular in the trades is a TracVan brand ladder rack manufactured by TracRac, Inc. The TracVan brand ladder rack, like many ladder racks, has tubular support members that are configured to be mounted to the roof or side of the vehicle. A ladder is secured to the support members using conventional tie-downs or other holders configured to secure a ladder thereto. Unlike other ladder racks, however, the TracRac system includes a slot laterally extending the length of the tubular rack members permitting adjustable ladder holders to be positioned on the ladder rack. However, no conduit carrier system has been created to mount to a TracVan ladder rack without drilling into the support members.
Therefore, there is a need for a conduit carrier system that can be mounted to a TracVan brand ladder rack without the need for drilling, yet can also be mounted to other conventional ladder racks.